The present invention relates to switching connectors in general, and more particularly to switching connectors which are to be interposed between a main pipe and at least two branch pipes to selectively control the flow of fluid through the pipes.
There are already known various arrangements of the type here under consideration. Among such arrangements, there is one which utilizes a stationary support component and a carrier component mounted on the support component for turning relative thereto between a plurality of switching positions in each of which a passage provided in the carrier components establishes communication between a main pipe and one of a plurality of branch pipes between which the prior-art connector of this type is interposed. It is already known, in this prior-art connector, to provide annular seals about the region of communication of the passage in the carrier component with the main pipe and the branch pipes, respectively. Such sealing ring, or a plurality of such sealing rings, is arranged about a respective port of one of the components, while the other component has a disc-shaped contact member having a port or a plurality of ports which open on a contact surface of the contact member, the sealing ring or rings being in sealing contact with the contact surface of the contact member. The contact surface has such a configuration as to be permanently sealingly contacted by the sealing ring or sealing rings, whether the ports of the two components are in registry or intermediate the registering positions, to thereby avoid unnecessary interruption of flow of the fluid through the pipes during the switching of the connector between its registering positions.
This conventional connector is advantageous in many respects. First of all, the passage, or a plurality of passages in the carrier component, extends generally in the same direction as the aforementioned pipes in this conventional connector, so that the flow of the fluid between the main pipe and the branch pipes suffers only a minimum amount of diversion from such direction as it passes through the connector. On the other hand, all ports, whether they are used or not in any particular switching position of the carrier component, are sealed during the operation of the connector.
However, this conventional connector has at least one serious drawback which resides in the fact that the sealing rings or similar sealing arrangements are inaccessible without disassembling the connector. It will be appreciated that such a disassembly of the connector and the subsequent re-assembly thereof is very time-consuming and inconvenient, particularly inasmuch as it requires a lengthy interruption of the flow of the fluid through the pipes.